


Slow Dancing in the Darkness

by hobbit_hedgehog



Series: DaiSuga Week 2019 [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, Selkies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2020-05-07 12:50:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19209790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbit_hedgehog/pseuds/hobbit_hedgehog
Summary: When Sugawara Koushi was a young boy on vacation, he met a strange boy named Daichi with a secret.  Twenty years later, Koushi is reunited with Daichi after randomly meeting him at the library and learns all about Daichi's secret and his own connection to it.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey folks! Happy Summer and Happy Birthday to Best Boy Sugawara Koushi! I'm very excited to be working on this fic, and I hope you enjoy reading it! The title is taken from the Walk the Moon song "Aquaman", which is by far one of my favorite songs of all time. I really hope you enjoy this fic, I am so stoked to be working on this idea. As always, comments, kudos and bookmarks are appreciated. You can also scream about nerd things with me on my twitter (sugathecryptid). Love you lots, and enjoy!

The ocean was a lot bigger than Koushi had thought it would be, his eyes wide as he took in the blue expanse from the safety of his grandparents' back porch.  He and his parents were visiting his grandparents' new ocean-side house for two weeks, and at seven years old, Koushi was more than a little overwhelmed.  He had never been to the ocean before.  Sure, Koushi had seen pictures of it, and had seen the odd nature show when he was babysat by his older cousin, but the real thing was much more daunting.  Who knew what kinds of secrets the water held? Not Koushi, that was for sure.  At least he had two weeks to get used to it, and now was a good time to start.

Taking a deep breath, Koushi turned towards the open door behind him and shouted into the house, "MOM!  Can I please go down to the beach?"

Koushi held his breath while he waited for a response.  After a minute, his mother called back.

"You can go.  Just be back soon, we're having lunch in about half an hour.  And Koushi, no swimming without an adult, okay?"

"Okay!" Koushi yelled as slid the door shut. 

The house sat on top of a hill overlooking the beach and the ocean.  A small trail wound its way down the sea grass covered hillside to the sand below.  Koushi hopped off of the back porch and ran down the path, taking care not to step on any plants in his way.  Once he made it to the sand, Koushi glanced around the beach.  It was mid-morning, but there was no one else around.  Koushi didn't mind.  In fact, he preferred that he had the beach to himself.  He raced towards the water and stopped just on the edge of where the waves met the sand.  He kicked off his sandals, and with a deep breath, stepped into the water. 

Koushi immediately leapt back, screeching as he went.  The ocean was, apparently, a lot colder than he'd thought it would be.  Koushi puffed out his cheeks, and then stepped into the water again.  This time, he lasted a full minute before he leapt back from the water.  With a deep breath and a determined nod, Koushi stepped into the water for a third time.  The water wasn't as bad the third time.  The shock of the cold had worn off, and Koushi buried his toes into the wet sand.  The waves brushed against his ankles, and Koushi felt a sense of accomplishment as he looked out across the ocean.

"The ocean's not so bad," Koushi announced to the empty beach.

Koushi stayed like that for a few minutes, wiggling his toes in the wet sand as he watched the waves roll in.  Then Koushi noticed a small, green sandal drifting in the water a few feet away.  Koushi watched it go with mild interest; it looked a lot like one of his own sandals.  Then, something in his mind clicked in to place.  He turned to where he had left his own sandals and froze.

One of his sandals was missing.

Koushi spun back towards the water and watched the sandal bob farther away from the shore.

"Get back here!" Koushi yelled at it.  "Come back!"

When his sandal didn't immediately drift back towards him, Koushi began to panic.  They were a new pair of sandals purchased specifically for this trip; he couldn't just let one of them drift out into the open ocean.  But his mom said that he wasn't allowed to go into the water without an adult nearby.  Koushi glanced between the water and the house.  He needed to act fast, and he was going to get in trouble either way.  He had no choice: he had to get the sandal back.

Koushi dashed forward, his feet slipping on the wet sand below.  He fell to his hands and knees, then pushed himself up and continued forward.  Soon Koushi was up to his knees, but he didn't stop.  He needed his sandal.  He took a few more steps forward—up to his waist now—and was centimeters away from his sandal when the sand gave way under him.  Koushi stumbled and fell face first into the water.  Koushi righted himself with a gasp, staggering backwards until he hit dry sand.  Safe, Koushi took a moment to look for his sandal.  To his dismay, it was nowhere to be seen.  Then he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me," came a voice from behind him.

Koushi whipped around to find a boy his own age standing next to him.  The boy had short black hair that was plastered to his head from the water, and gentle brown eyes.  His tan skin was speckled with drops of water and sand.  He held a single green sandal in his hands.  He gave Koushi a small smile as he offered it to Koushi.

"You dropped this," the boy said.

"My sandal!" Koushi yelped as he took his shoe from the boy.  "Thank you so much, I thought I'd never get it back!"

The boy waved his hand in front of his face in the universal "it's fine" gesture.  As Koushi inspected his sandal, a thought occurred to him.  He hadn't seen the boy on the beach before; as far as Koushi had been concerned, he had been alone the whole time.  So where did this boy come from?

"I'm Koushi.  Who are you?"

The boy blinked at Koushi's abrupt question, and then replied, "My name is Daichi."

"Nice to meet you, Daichi," Koushi said.

"Nice to meet you too, Koushi!"

Koushi looked around the beach one more time before he asked, "Where did you come from?  I didn't see you on the beach earlier."

Daichi gestured towards the ocean.  "Out there," he said.

"Were you swimming?" Koushi asked.

Daichi nodded, "Yup!"

"By yourself?"

"Yeah, I'm real good at swimming," Daichi said.

Koushi's eyes widened in amazement as he said, "My mom said I couldn't go into the water by myself.  She said it's too dangerous."

As if on cue, Koushi's mother called from the top of the hill, "Koushi!  Lunchtime!"

Koushi looked up at the house, then back at Daichi; he was reluctant to leave his new friend.

"I gotta go, but I'll see you around, okay?"

Daichi nodded, his eyes sparkling as he said, "Of course!"

Koushi held out his pinky to Daichi, "Pinky promise?"

Daichi locked his pinky with Koushi's and shook it once.  With a smile, Koushi drew back and took off for the path. He paused to scoop up his other sandal and to wave at Daichi again.  Daichi waved back, then began to walk down the beach.  By the time Koushi made it to the top of the hill, Daichi was nowhere to be seen.

"Koushi, I thought I told you to stay out of the water," Koushi's mother scolded when Koushi walked through the backdoor.

Koushi looked down at his soaked clothes, then back up at his mother, "The ocean took my sandal.  I had to get it back."

"You could have called for your father or me to get it.  The ocean can be dangerous."

Koushi took a seat at the table as he said, "It's okay, Mom, I didn't go too far in.  Daichi got my sandal back for me."

Koushi's mother set his lunch down in front of him before taking a seat herself.  "And who is Daichi?" she asked.

"He's my new friend," Koushi explained.  "His parents let him go swimming by himself."

Koushi's mother made a face, but didn't respond.

"You didn't see his parents?" Koushi's father asked as he sat down.

Koushi shook his head.

"They're probably staying somewhere nearby," his mother remarked.

"Probably."

"Can I go find Daichi after lunch?" Koushi asked.

"Maybe later," Koushi's father said. "We were going to go into town with your grandparents after we finished eating."

Koushi frowned at his lunch, "But I pinky promised."

"Don't worry, Koushi, you have two weeks to find him again," his mother said.  "Besides, Grandma wanted to show you the new library that just opened."

Koushi looked up from his food, his eyes sparkling and his disappointment forgotten.

"How many books can I get?" he asked.

Koushi's mother reached over and tussled his hair as she said, "We'll have to ask the librarians when we get there.  Also, you need to change into dry clothes."

***

The following day, Koushi made his way down to the beach around midmorning.  He had a book tucked under one arm and a towel tucked under the other.  Koushi's mother had told him that he wasn't allowed to take the books to the beach, but where else was Koushi going to see Daichi?  Besides, his mother was out for the day with his grandparents and his dad was still sleeping.  As long as Koushi had them back in the house by the afternoon, he'd be fine.

Koushi kicked off his sandals once he reached the bottom of the hill, wanting to avoid a repeat of yesterday's mishap.  The sand under his feet was coarse, but Koushi didn't mind.  It was just something else about the ocean to get used to.  He picked his way across the beach until he was just out of reach of the waves and rolled out the towel.  He sat down, then opened his book to the first page, devouring the story inside.  There was no guarantee that Koushi was going to see Daichi, but at the very least, he could get some reading in.

The sun rose higher in the sky as Koushi read through his book, a children's book about ocean mythologies around the world.  Koushi had immediately turned to the sections on Japanese ocean myths, but after rereading the same myths he knew almost by heart, Koushi had turned to some other myths.  One in particular was a Scottish myth about women who could change into seals.  Koushi was so caught up in the book that he missed someone sitting next to him.  He jumped when he felt someone pat his shoulder.  Koushi dropped the guide in the sand and turned to see who it was.  To his pleasant surprise, Daichi was sitting cross-legged next to him in the sand.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Daichi said.

"I'll forgive you this one time," Koushi huffed, picking up the book and brushing the sand from its pages.

"Whatcha reading?" Daichi asked.

"Book on mythology."

Daichi's eyes widened in wonder, "That sounds cool."

"It is," Koushi said.  "I read a lot of books like this.  I'm the best reader in my class." 

"Really?" Daichi asked.  "Will you read me some?"

Koushi grinned.  He made room for Daichi on the towel, and once Daichi settled on it, he opened the book to the table of contents.  He held the book out to Daichi and gestured towards the page.

"Pick one out," Koushi said.

Once Daichi picked one, the two settled closer together.  They read through the book twice.  The first time through, Koushi read to Daichi.  The second time through, they retold the stories the way they thought they should have ended. They did this for about an hour, reenacting the stories until the rumbling of hungry stomachs drew their attention from the book.  Koushi closed the book and got to his feet.  Daichi moved off the towel and took the book so Koushi could roll up the towel.

"My dad's probably awake now if you want to come up for lunch," Koushi offered.

"Oh, that's okay," Daichi said as he got to his feet.  "My parents probably have lunch ready too."

Daichi handed the book back to Koushi, looking a little apologetic.  Koushi took it with a frown; once again, his time with Daichi was being cut short.

"But, we could play more after lunch," Daichi offered.  "There's a boardwalk nearby with an arcade."

Koushi agreed to meet back up with Daichi and took off for home.  His father was in an oversized chair in the sitting room when Koushi arrived and saw him with the library book his mother had said couldn't go down to the beach, but said nothing about it, much to Koushi's relief.  The two exchanged brief conversation during lunch, and then Koushi raced back to the beach, a small amount of money in his pockets, courtesy of his father.  To his delight, Daichi was waiting for him at the bottom, as if he had never left.

"Let's go!" Daichi said, taking Koushi's hand and leading him towards the boardwalk.

As they walked, the two exchanged small talk about themselves.  Koushi learned that Daichi was six months younger than Koushi (December 31st, which Daichi was incredibly proud of), his favorite food was shouyou ramen, and that he lived with his parents and two younger siblings nearby.  They had lived in the town for years, and Daichi had been swimming ever since he was little.

"My mom says I could swim before I could walk," Daichi had told him.

Koushi hadn't really believed that, but something about the way Daichi insisted it was true made Koushi wonder if it was possible to swim before you could walk.

For his part, Koushi explained that his grandparents had moved in a few months prior and that he was visiting with his parents, Koushi loved spicy food, and he had never seen the ocean before.

"The ocean's not so bad once you get used to it," Daichi explained over a post-arcade ice cream.  "If you stay in the shallows and can swim, you're pretty safe."

"My parents said that rip tides can suck you in when you're not expecting it," Koushi said.

"Well, they can, but only if you're not paying attention," Daichi replied.  "Besides, the ocean's like my second home, it'd never hurt me."

"How do you know?" Koushi asked.

Daichi merely shrugged in response.  Koushi decided not to press the issue. 

"Will you teach me how to swim better?"

"Sure."

After the arcade and ice cream, Daichi showed Koushi some other notable locations around the boardwalk.  There was an aquarium that Koushi would have to ask his parents about later, the library (which Koushi definitely dragged Daichi into), and several small shops selling tourist memorabilia.  Koushi had the most fun in that one, and had used up the last of that day's allowance to buy Daichi a small stuffed seal toy that the other boy had been eyeing.  Daichi had tried to refuse the toy, but Koushi simply told him, "This is for saving my shoe".  After they wandered up and down the boardwalk a few times, they settled on the beach to watch the sunset.

"This was a lot of fun," Koushi said.

"I had fun too!" Daichi replied.

"Can we play again tomorrow?" Koushi asked, turning to look at Daichi.

Daichi nodded, that same wide grin plastered on his face, "Of course!"

The two parted that day with another pinky promise to meet the following day.  When Koushi went to bed that night, his dreams were filled with Daichi, and for some reason, little seals playing in the ocean.

***

It became their routine to meet up first thing in the morning at the bottom of the hill, then walk to the boardwalk.  There, they would wander around until they either parted ways for lunch or they would pool their meager allowances together to share an ice cream or some other boardwalk food.  If they split for lunch, they usually didn't meet again that day, as Koushi's parents would insist he spend time with them.  But if they stayed together for lunch, the two boys would spend hours together on the beach, only parting after they had watched the sunset together.  Those days were Koushi's favorites; he really liked spending time with Daichi.  Something about the boy really drew Koushi to him.  Koushi couldn't tell what it was, but there was something enchanting about Daichi.

It was exactly one week to the date of their first meeting when Koushi had arrived at the bottom of the hill only to find that Daichi wasn't in their usual meeting spot.  Koushi waited for about ten minutes before he took it upon himself to go find his friend.  Koushi wandered down the beach, looking at the other houses on the ridge above the beach and wondering which one his friend lived in.  He was about to trek up to one to see if Daichi lived there when the sounds of children's voices reached his ears.

"Who would leave a jacket on a beach?"

"I dunno, but it's ugly."

"It smells bad, too."

"Well yeah, it's wet."

Koushi turned towards the voices.  A group of children huddled near a group of rocks and were poking at something in a tide pool.  Curiosity got the better of Koushi and he walked towards the group, his mission to find Daichi abandoned in favor of this new mystery.  There were five kids, three girls and two boys.  The larger of the two boys was currently holding what Koushi guessed was the jacket and waving it in the others' faces, clearly tormenting them with it.  Koushi couldn't place why, but the sight made him irrationally angry.  There was something precious about that jacket, and these kids clearly couldn't see that.

A thought came to him as he approached: _Take it_.

Koushi paused.

The thought came again, more insistent this time: _Take it._

"Hey, give that to me," Koushi found himself saying before he even realized his mouth was moving.

The group turned to look at Koushi, their expressions ranging from incredulous to annoyed.  It dawned on Koushi that these kids were all probably—no, _definitely_ —older than him.

"Please," Koushi added, remembering his manners.

"Is it yours?" the oldest kid asked, waving the jacket at him

"Yes?" Koushi lied.  He wasn't even sure why he wanted the jacket, he just _did_.

"No it's not," one of the girls said.  "You wouldn't say it like that if it was."

"Beat it, dweeb, we found it first," the bigger boy said.

"Yeah, finders keepers," the other boy said.

The thought cam a third time, more forceful than before: _Take.  It._

Without thinking, Koushi shoved the bigger boy as hard as he could.  While the kid flailed and tumbled to the ground, Koushi snatched the jacket from his hands.  The other kids made a grab for Koushi, but he was too quick.  Without looking back, Koushi ran back down the beach.  The sounds of the kids' shouts grew fainter and fainter, though Koushi wasn't sure if it was from putting distance between them and him or if he had just tuned out the world.  He stumbled once, twice in the loose sand, his legs burning, his chest tight as he ran for the safety of his grandparents' house.  Soon he reached their back porch and Koushi came back to his own awareness.  A cursory glance showed that the kids were nowhere to be seen.  Koushi was safe.

Koushi exhaled a shaky breath, then quietly slipped inside.  No one was in the sitting room, and Koushi could hear voices in the kitchen, meaning no one would stop him as he took his newfound treasure to his room.  Koushi snuck upstairs, closing the door with a quiet _click_ once he was inside his room.  Koushi wasn't sure why he felt immediate relief, but for whatever reason, knowing that his family didn't know about the jacket made Koushi feel better.  It made him feel safe.

Koushi gingerly placed the jacket on his bed to study it.  The kids had been right; it was kind of ugly looking.  It was long, longer than Koushi had realized, a deep brown color with spots and—were those _flippers_?  And what was it made out of?  Koushi ran a hand over one of the sleeves and frowned.  It felt furry, but not in a way Koushi was used to.

Koushi picked up the jacket to try it on when his mother called from down the hall, "Koushi?  Are you here?"

Koushi jumped at the sound of approaching footsteps.  He shoved the jacket into his closet, slamming the door shut as the doorknob began to move.   He stepped away from the closet and sat down on his bed right as the door opened.

"Did you just get back?" his mother asked.  "I thought you'd be gone longer."

"I couldn't find Daichi," Koushi said, which wasn't a lie—he hadn't found Daichi.

"He's probably with his parents," Koushi's mother said.  "We need to take the library books back today.  Can you gather them up and then meet me at the car?"

Koushi nodded, getting to his feet.  His mother smiled, then made her way down the hallway.  Koushi waited until he could hear his mother reach the bottom step before he checked on the jacket.  It seemed okay, despite the rough treatment.  Koushi slid the door shut and turned to gather the library books.  He would have to tell Daichi about the jacket later.

***

It wasn't Koushi's fault that he forgot to tell Daichi about the jacket, really.  He was having too much fun to remember to tell him.  All things considered, Daichi had no connection to the jacket in the first place.  Also Koushi only had a week left to spend with Daichi; who knew if he would ever see his friend again after this vacation was over?  Koushi had to make the most of it.  He wasn't about to spend time telling Daichi about some raggedy jacket he had saved from some older kids.  Daichi wouldn't be interested.  And so he didn't, and the two spent the rest of the week nearly attached at the hip.  Koushi wouldn't have had it any other way.

Well, that wasn't true.  For whatever reason, Daichi had refused to meet Koushi's family.  Every time Koushi had invited the other boy over, Daichi had either made an excuse not to take the trek up the hill, or he had flat out refused.  Koushi had no explanation for it, but he had respected his friend's wishes nonetheless.  They could play somewhere other than Koushi's house.  Also, Daichi had to teach Koushi how to swim.  And so the week passed, with the jacket forgotten in Koushi's closet. 

Koushi wouldn't think about it again until the last day at his grandparents' house.  As he packed his bag, Koushi would glance between it and the jacket resting on the floor of his closet.  He never did find the owner of it, but then again, it could have been forgotten months ago and it no longer had an owner.  Or rather, Koushi was the owner.  Should he take it with him?  Or should he leave it for his grandparents to find?  Several times, Koushi put it in his bag, only to move it back to the closet a few minutes later.  On one such occasion, Koushi looked out the window and saw Daichi making his way to the base of the hill.  Koushi threw the jacket back in the closet and raced downstairs, sparing a quick moment to tell his parents where he was going before running out the door.  Daichi smiled as Koushi made it to the sand, and the two set off for the boardwalk.

"You're leaving tomorrow?" Daichi asked, sadness obvious in his tone.

"Yeah," Koushi confirmed.  "School's starting again soon."

"I'm going to miss having you around," Daichi said.  "The other kids aren't as special as you."

Koushi paused to look at his friend. 

"You think I'm special?"

Daichi beamed as he nodded, "Of course!  You're my best friend.  And that makes you special.  In fact, I have a secret I want to share with you before you go."

"You do?"

Daichi nodded again, "Meet me on the beach tonight at 11.  It'll be really cool."

The two parted ways soon after, with Daichi promising again that whatever he had to show Koushi would be worth being out that late.  Koushi spent the rest of the afternoon packing and buzzing with excitement.  Seeing Daichi one last time was one thing, but seeing him that late meant Koushi would have to sneak out of the house.  It was exciting.

Koushi went to bed at 9 that night.  He put the jacket into his bag, then climbed into bed still wearing his clothes from earlier that day.  He watched as the clock changed from 21:59 to 22:00, and waited his grandparents and parents go to bed, holding his breath as the house fell silent.  Then the clock turned to 22:50, he was on the move.  Koushi pushed back the covers and gently placed one foot on the floor, then the other.  He crept to the door, easing it open the minimum amount it would take to slip through before slipping into the darkened hallway.  He made his way down the stairs and out the door, not bothering to grab his shoes before he sprinted down to the beach.  To his surprise, Daichi was nowhere to be seen.  Koushi made his way towards the boardwalk, the light from the nearly full moon guiding him as he went.  Then, he saw something.  Huddled near the same pile of rocks where the kids had found the jacket was someone vaguely Daichi shaped.

"Daichi?" Koushi called.

The figure whipped around, and sure enough, it was Daichi.  Koushi ran to his friend, excitement rising, only for it to crash in an instant, rooting Koushi to the spot.  Daichi shook with barely contained tears, his once gentle eyes wide in panic and sadness.  Koushi forced himself to move forward, to comfort his friend, to do anything.  It pained him to see his friend look that sad.

"Daichi, Daichi, what's wrong?" Koushi asked, pulling his friend into a hug.

Daichi tucked his head into Koushi's neck and sobbed, his fingers curling into Koushi's shirt.

"Daichi, I don't know why you're crying, but I want to help," Koushi said.

Daichi pulled back.  He sniffled as he said, "I've… I've lost it."

"What have you lost?"

"My skin," Daichi said.  "I… I left it here, but someone's… someone's taken it."

"Your…skin?" Koushi asked.

Daichi nodded, "It's like a jacket.  I can't return without it.  I can never go back without it, I'm stuck."

Koushi had no idea what Daichi was talking about, but all this talk of a jacket sounded familiar.

"Daichi," Koushi said, placing his hands on his friend's shoulders.  "I promise, I will help you find it.  What does it look like?"

Daichi sniffled again, "It's brown with black spots.  It's long and it's got—."

The rest of the sentence hit Koushi like a truck.

"Flippers."

Daichi stopped sniffling and raised an eyebrow.

"How did-?

"Daichi," Koushi exclaimed as he tightened his grip on his friend's shoulders, "I know where it is!"

Daichi jolted.  "Where?" he asked.

"It's at my grandparents' house," Koushi said, "come on!"

Taking Daichi's hand, Koushi raced down the beach back towards the hill.  The two boys stumbled in the sand, but neither slowed for a moment.

"Why do you have it?" Daichi asked as they neared the hill.

"I saw some kids playing with it, so I took it from them."

"You…took it?"

"I was worried that they were going to rip it or something," Koushi said, coming to a halt at the bottom of the hill.  "Wait here, I'll go get it."

Daichi nodded, and then Koushi was gone.  He made his way back inside the house and into his room as quietly as he could.  He pulled the jacket from his bag, and then he was off again, this time moving with haste rather than stealth.  He probably woke up his parents, but it didn't matter.  He had to get Daichi's jacket back to him.

Daichi's face lit up as Koushi hit the sand with the jacket outstretched towards Daichi.

"You brought it back to me," Daichi murmured in awe.

"Of course I did," Koushi said, "why wouldn't I?"

Daichi studied Koushi for a moment before he gingerly lifted the jacket out of Koushi's hands.  There was an odd feeling of loss, like Koushi should have stopped Daichi from taking the jacket, but it was momentary.  Besides, Koushi would never trade keeping the jacket for the look of sheer adoration and happiness on Daichi's face as he cradled the jacket in his arms.

"My mother always told me that if someone took it from me, they'd never give it back," Daichi explained, his voice low.

Koushi tilted his head to the side, confused.  It was a jacket; would someone really not give it back?  Why wouldn't they give it back?  But even as he tried to rationalize it, something about the scenario sounded familiar.

"What do you mean?"

Daichi smiled a smile far softer than Koushi had seen on him those past two weeks.

"Let me show you," Daichi said.

Koushi nodded, his movements slow.  Daichi shook the jacket open and slung it around his shoulders, his movements fluid, like water.  Koushi stood entranced as Daichi, under the light of the moon and all the stars of the cosmos began to change into something inhuman. 

Koushi opened his mouth to say something, a _nything,_ when a harsh voice shattered the magic of the moment.

"Sugawara Koushi, what are you doing out here?"

It felt as though a bucket of ice had been dumped on him.  Koushi whipped around and came face to face with his mother.  Her eyes were cold, her lips pressed into a thin line as she waited for an explanation.  The lights from the beach house drowned out the night sky.

"I was just…." Koushi began.  He stopped, then tried again, "Daichi wanted to show me something."

His mother ran her fingers through her hair—the same gray hair that Koushi had—in frustration as she said, "Koushi, you're out here alone.  There's no one else here except for me."

Koushi's eyes widened in surprise.  He spun around and sure enough, Daichi was nowhere to be seen.

"Daichi?" he called.

"Koushi, come on," his mother snapped.  "It's late, and we have a long drive tomorrow.  One in which we discuss how irresponsible it is for you to be out this late by yourself."

Koushi hung his head in shame as he followed his mother back up to the house.  He only spared one backwards glance to the empty beach, once he had reached the top of the hill.  Daichi had been right there.  Close enough for Koushi to reach out and touch him.  There was no way that he could have just vanished into the night.  It wasn't possible.

"Let's go, Koushi," his mother said.

Koushi hurried inside and up to his room.  Once inside, he dropped onto his bed with an exhausted sigh.  He could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes and he wiped them away with the back of his hand.  Daichi hadn't even said goodbye.  He'd just vanished.  Koushi rolled over onto his back and looked out the window.  As he watched the beach and the night sky, a flash of white on the window sill caught his attention.  Koushi got out of bed and approached it.  Resting on the window sill was a small piece of paper and a bracelet made of sea shells and twine.  The paper had no name on it, but Koushi knew who it was from.  Koushi scooped the items up and carried them back to bed.  He fell asleep with his last two gifts from Daichi cradled against his chest.

***

They left the next morning with little fanfare.  Koushi kissed his grandparents goodbye, then dutifully climbed into the backseat of his father's car without sparing the ocean a second glance.  He had tucked the shell bracelet into his pocket, but the note was still clutched firmly in his hand.  It stung that Koushi couldn't see his friend one last time, but after the sudden disappearance the night before, Koushi felt disappointment with his friend.  Only once they were on the road back to Miyagi and the oceanside town and Daichi were far behind them did Koushi unfold the paper and read its message.

***

_Koushi,_

_I'm sorry that I didn't get to show you my secret.  I hope we'll meet again someday so that I can.  Until then, this is my promise to you.  Wear it and think about me._

_Daichi_


	2. Second First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twenty years later, Koushi returns to the sleepy, seaside town and he dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! Long time no update on this one. This update is actually my post for DaiSuga Week 2019, as the last day was a free day and I figured this was the best way to round out the week. Thank you so much for your support this week, and I hope you all check out the other fantastic works published this week. Enjoy!

The Oceanside view hadn't changed much.  In fact, if Koushi had to guess, it hadn't changed at all in the last twenty years.  The breeze coming off of the ocean ruffled Koushi's hair as he stood at the top of the hill overlooking the beach.  The path down to the sand had long since grown over; the natural grasses covering the trail Koushi had run down almost every single day.  The beach looked relatively the same as it had.  The ocean was the same green-blue it had been.  Koushi absently toyed with the bracelet around his wrist, another thing that hadn't changed in twenty years.

Turning from the beach, Koushi eyed the house behind him.  His grandparents had, in their old age, decided to move back in with Koushi's parents.  Rather than sell the house, they had gifted it to Koushi.  Koushi found a job at the local library and had moved in a month later.  The house, while in a relatively good state all things considered, needed some help.  The paint was chipping, the stairs were just on the safe side of dilapidated, and the porch could use restaining.  All small projects that Koushi could deal with on his off days.

Koushi entered the house and stood in the back hall.  The interior was in much better condition than the exterior, but Koushi wanted to fix things inside more.  The walls were the same eggshell color they had been when Koushi had visited as a child; the few rooms that had carpet still had the same carpet.  The only thing that had changed inside in twenty years was the photographs on the walls and the furniture.  Another thing Koushi would have to change once he had a little more time and money.

With a sigh, Koushi walked into the kitchen, avoiding the boxes stacked precariously in the hallway.  It was a little past seven in the morning.  He wouldn't start at the library until the following day, so he had plenty of time to unpack some things and get his life at the beach house in order.  But first, breakfast.  He filled the electric kettle with water and turned it on before turning to the fridge.  Koushi wasn’t much of a cook, but he had mastered the art of toast and eggs.  Within ten minutes, he had two fried eggs on toast and a cup of tea.  He ate in silence, and then took his dishes to the sink.  A quick scrub and rinse later, and the dishes were on the drying rack.

"Easy enough," Koushi said to himself.  "Now, time to unpack."

***

_The silver light of the moon bathed the beach in an unearthly glow as Koushi kicked off his sandals and stepped onto the sand.  The coarse grains scratched the soles of his feet lightly as he stepped forward, one foot in front of the other in a slow, deliberate march.  The scene was familiar, but Koushi couldn't place why._

_'Why am I here?'_

_Still, he marched on towards the ocean.  He paused at the ocean's edge for just a moment, taking in the way the moonlight sparkled and shimmered on the surface of the black abyss before him.  Then he stepped into the water, left foot first, then right.  Soon, he was up to his knees, then his thighs, then his waist.  Only then did he stop.  The waves tugged at Koushi's clothes as he stood alone in the dark water, his eyes locked on the moon in front of him._

_'Why am I-?'_

_"You brought it back to me."_

_Koushi ripped his eyes from the moon.  Standing in front of him was Daichi, his Daichi, but much older.  He was Koushi's height, broader in the shoulders and waist than Koushi, and significantly more muscular.  But he still had the same soft black hair, and the same soft brown eyes._

_"Of course I did," Koushi found himself whispering, "why wouldn't I?"_

_"My mother always told me that if someone took it from me, they'd never give it back," Daichi said._

_What had he given back?  Koushi could only remember something soft, something brown.  Something that smelled of the ocean._

_"What do you mean?" Koushi asked._

_The memory came back to Koushi.  They had had this conversation twenty years ago.  Daichi had smiled and put the jacket on, and then vanished.  But this time, when Daichi smiled, he stepped forward into Koushi's space.  He cupped Koushi's cheek with a large palm, bringing their faces close._

_"Let me show you," Daichi whispered._

The blaring of his alarm clock ripped Koushi from sleep.  He was lying in bed, with his blankets tangled around his waist and legs.  He was safely inside, very much dry and very much alone.  With a groan, Koushi turned off his alarm.  He sat up and rubbed his eyes.  He didn't dream very often, or if he did, he never remembered them with that much clarity.  It had been a while since he had dreamed of Daichi, but it was entirely possible that coming back would remind Koushi's subconscious of him.  That being said, what the hell was his subconscious doing making Daichi that attractive?!  Koushi hadn't seen him in twenty years, why the hell would his mind make him look like that?!  Koushi could feel his face burning as he buried his face in his pillow. 

"Thanks brain, this is exactly how I wanted to start my day," Koushi grumbled into his pillow.

With a sigh, Koushi pushed himself to his feet and made his way into the bathroom.

 _'Maybe a cold shower will take my mind off of it,'_ Koushi thought.  _'A very cold shower.'_

***

The head librarian—Takeda-san—was friendlier than Koushi expected him to be.  He wasn't much older than Koushi—just shy of 40 if Koushi had to guess—with hair that was just starting to gray at the temples and glasses that looked about ten years out of date. When Koushi had first asked for him, the quiet girl at the circulation desk had pointed towards a stack of books that had been lumbering towards the front.  It had stopped just in front of Koushi, the topmost books swaying dangerously at the sudden lack of forward momentum.

"You're Sugawara-kun, right?" Takeda-san had asked from behind the stack of books.  "I'm Takeda Ittestu."

"Um, yes?" Koushi had said before giving a more confident, "Yes.  I'm Sugawara Koushi.  Pleased to meet you."

Takeda-san had dropped the books on the counter at that point.  He had turned to the girl behind the desk and told her to put the books on hold for someone Koushi had assumed to be a regular before bringing Koushi to the back office.  After half an hour's worth of administrative things and a brief tour of the library, Takeda-san had tasked Koushi with reshelving, and then retreated back to his office.

Reshelving was one of Koushi's favorite parts of working as a librarian.  It was quiet work, and it gave him the opportunity to familiarize himself with everything.  The quiet, rhythmic monotony of pushing the shelving cart around was exactly what Koushi needed on his first day.

Koushi was halfway down one of the film book aisles when a man came up to him and whispered, "Excuse me; I was wondering if you could help me."

There was something familiar about the man, but Koushi couldn't figure out why.  The man was about Koushi's height, maybe a little taller, definitely bulkier.  His overall appearance was fairly average, though not unattractive.  But there was something about his eyes; he had the deepest brown eyes Koushi had ever seen, the type that someone could drown in if they weren't careful.  Koushi shook his head before he could wax too poetic about this guy.  He was a patron, after all.

"Sorry, did the headshake mean 'no'?" the patron asked.  "I can go find someone else if you're busy."

"No, sorry, I spaced out," Koushi said a little louder than necessary.  "I'm happy to help.  More than happy to.  What can I help with?"

The man seemed unphased by Koushi's over eagerness.  He produced a piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it and handed it to Koushi as he explained, "My friend sent me to find this book, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere.  I checked the website and it said that you had a copy, but I checked the shelf and it wasn't there."

Koushi took the paper and looked it over.  He was looking for a copy of _The Traveling Cat Chronicles_.  Koushi could have sworn he had seen a copy of that around here somewhere.  Koushi looked down at his cart and grinned.  Sure enough, the book was sitting on the top shelf of the cart.  With a flourish, he grabbed the book and presented it to the man.

"I believe this is the book you're looking for," he said.

The man took the book from Koushi and nodded, "That it is!  You're a quick one."

Koushi shrugged, "I try."

This was the point where Koushi expected the man to walk away.  To head to the circulation desk and out the front door, never to be seen by Koushi again.  But that didn't happen.  The man was still standing in front of Koushi's cart, staring at Koushi like he was parsing out a riddle Koushi had just uttered.  Under normal circumstances, Koushi wouldn't have minded being checked out by the guy in front of him, but he was at work and didn't want to call the guy out for staring.  Still, he was keeping Koushi from doing his job.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Koushi asked

"Sorry, this may sound weird," the man began after a moment, "but don't I know you from somewhere?"

Koushi doubted it; he had just moved here.  Instead he offered a noncommittal shrug and offered, "If you're a local, you may have seen me around when I was a kid.  My grandparents used to live here and I'd visit during summer break.  Or two days ago at the store or something, I just moved here."

"That might be…" the man said before trailing off, his gaze locked on Koushi's wrist.

Koushi fought the urge to hide his hand.  "What?"

"Where'd you get that bracelet?" the man asked.

"A friend gave it to me when I was younger," Koushi said, defensive.

The man blinked once, his eyes flitting between the bracelet and Koushi's face.  Then he froze, his eyes locked on Koushi's.  "Koushi?  Sugawara Koushi?" he whispered.

"Yes?" Koushi confirmed.

"You still have it after all these years?" the man asked.

Realization hit Koushi like a bullet train.  He looked exactly like he had in Koushi's dream.  "Daichi?" Koushi choked out.

The man's face—Daichi's face—lit up.  He reached out and grasped Koushi by the shoulders before remembering himself and pulling away.  "I don't believe it," he said.  "It's been twenty years, how have you been?"

Something cold settled into the pit of Koushi's stomach; it had been twenty years.  Twenty years since Daichi had vanished into the night and left Koushi alone on that beach.  But here he was.  He was real.

"Yeah," Koushi mumbled, "I've been good.  Umm…. You're here?"

Daichi blinked, unsure how to respond.  After a moment he replied, "Uh, yeah?  I live in town."

"That's not what I mean," Koushi huffed.  He glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, and then hissed, "You vanished that night.  And now you're here?"

An odd look passed over Daichi's face.  Koushi couldn't quite place it, but there seemed to be some guilt there.

 _'Good,'_ Koushi thought.

"Not to be too forward—and I promise I'm not changing the subject—but can I take you out after your shift?" Daichi asked.  "I just want a chance to explain some things."

Koushi frowned.  This was too weird to be coincidental.  There was no way the dream Koushi had last night wasn't connected with Daichi coming into the library on Koushi's very first day and offering answers to the mystery that had been haunting Koushi for twenty years.  There was no way.  But Daichi seemed to be sincere in his offer, and Koushi was nothing if not curious.

"This a date?" Koushi asked.

Daichi blinked, and then let out a chuckle, a low baritone sound that made Koushi's heart do something mildly uncomfortable.  "Not unless you want it to be," Daichi said.

Koushi, being an expert teaser himself, knew when someone was poking fun at him.  He grinned, the tension leaving his shoulders as he leaned forward on his reshelving cart.  "I get off at four," he said.  "Where ever we go, you're buying.  I just started here."

"Four it is," Daichi confirmed, turning and walking down the aisle.  "It's a date."

"I didn't say it was a date," Koushi called after him before he could stop himself.

Daichi stopped at the end of the aisle.  He turned and flashed Koushi a smile that made Koushi grateful he was leaning on the reshelving cart.  "You didn't say it wasn't, either," Daichi said before disappearing from view.

Koushi waited a few seconds before slumping further against the cart.  He checked his phone and noted that it was only 11.  It was going to be the longest five hours of his life.

***

"My grandparents are getting on in years," Koushi explained, picking up a few noodles with his chopsticks.  "They moved back in with my parents and left the house to me. What about you?"

The last five hours of Koushi's shift had dragged on longer than Koushi had wanted them to.  By the time four o'clock had rolled around, Koushi had all but sprinted out the door with a rushed "goodbye" to his new coworkers.  Daichi had been waiting patiently outside on a nearby bench.  Koushi's frazzled appearance had made him laugh, but a quick jab to the shoulder had put an end to his snickering.  They ended up at a local ramen place near the boardwalk, and were exchanging details about their lives while they ate.  Well, Koushi was sharing details about his life.  Daichi was being less open than Koushi would have liked.

"I live by myself," Daichi said.  "Moved back here about 7 years ago."

"Where were you before that?" Koushi asked.

"Up north."

"And before that?"

"Down south."

"Doing what?"

"Fishing."

Koushi fought the urge to sigh.  Most of their conversation had been like that; Koushi would offer long answers to Daichi's questions, and Daichi would offer one or two word answers in return.  Sure, it was small talk, but Koushi didn't remember Daichi being that closed off. 

_'Time for a new, more direct approach.'_

Koushi rested his chopsticks on the holder next to his bowl and folded his hands on the table.  Daichi, sensing the mood shift, set his chopsticks down as well.

"Daichi, what happened that night?" Koushi asked.

Daichi reached for his drink, taking a long sip before setting it back down, "What do you remember?"

Koushi shook his head, "Not a lot.  I met you at the beach, and you were crying about something.  I had found it earlier and I gave it back to you.  Then you vanished, I got in a shitload of trouble for being out at night, and then I found the bracelet in my room."

"Did you really get in trouble?" Daichi asked.

Koushi rolled his eyes, "Of course I did, I was seven."

Daichi sat back with a hum, fingering the top of his glass for a moment.  "You remember more than I thought you would."

"This is going to sound weird, but part of me I thought I'd imagined you," Koushi said.

Daichi looked up from his glass with a frown, "What?"

Koushi grabbed his own drink with a huff, "Daichi, my parents never saw you that entire two week period we were there.  I talked about you constantly, but they never actually met you.  They found me that night alone on the beach.  The only thing that kept me from thinking I'd made you up was the bracelet."

"I left a note," Daichi said.

"Which I could have easily written myself if I were trying to rationalize my imaginary friend," Koushi snapped.

"Are you mad about what happened?"

"Yes.  No.  Gods, I don't know," Koushi grumbled.

Daichi reached a hand across the table and rested it on top of Koushi's.  To Koushi's surprise, he didn't pull back.

"Will you please tell me how you're feeling?" Daichi asked.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Koushi rebutted.

"To the best of my ability at this time," Daichi answered.

Koushi sighed and then it all came out, "I don't know.  I think I'm angry, but I'm mostly just confused.  You vanished into thin air, leaving a bracelet and a note behind twenty years ago.  This bracelet hasn't aged at all in that time span and I have no idea why.  I moved here almost exactly twenty years later, into the same house where this all started.  I have a weird dream about you, and then you're here offering answers, but you still haven't told me anything apart from the fact that you've been here for seven years and that you fish."

Daichi caressed the back of Koushi's hand with his thumb, then let go, pulling his hand back across the table.  Koushi hated it to admit it, but he already missed the touch of Daichi's calloused hand on his.

"I want to apologize first and foremost," Daichi began.  "I promised answers, but I got so caught up in the fact that you're here that I forgot the reason we're here.  Second, I'm going to try to explain what I can about that night, but there are going to be a few things that I can't fully explain yet.  It's not that I don't want to tell you everything, but I need you to understand that some of the circumstances about that night need a bit more time to contextualize.  I promise that, if you still want to see me after this, I will explain everything eventually.  Is that okay?"

Koushi inhaled slowly, then exhaled.  He nodded and whispered, "Okay."

"That night on the beach, Daichi said, "you found me crying near the boardwalk.  I had lost something.  Do you remember what it was?"

Koushi shook his head; it was one of the few details he couldn't remember about that night.

"I had lost a jacket," Daichi explained.  "It was very special to me.  My family was leaving town that night and without it, I wouldn't have been able to leave with them."

"Why?" Koushi asked.

"It's…. complicated."

"One of the things you can't fully explain yet?" Koushi asked.

"Exactly.  You found me, and then you told me you knew where my jacket was.  You had found it earlier in the week and stopped some of the other local kids from taking it.  You brought it back to me."

"You told me you were going to show me why it was important to you," Koushi interjected.

"I was, and my mother was not happy with me for that one," Daichi sighed.

"Why?  Or is that another thing that you can't explain yet?"

"Unfortunately," Daichi confirmed.  "What I can tell you is that while you were talking with your parents, I slipped away and left you that bracelet.  After that, I left with my family."

"I don't understand how you managed to slip away," Koushi said.  "I turned away for a few seconds, and then you were gone.  My parents never even saw you."

"I'm quick," Daichi said.

"No human is that quick."

Daichi merely shrugged.

"Why did you leave in the first place?  Why not let my parents see you?"

Daichi sighed, "Koushi, my family is involved in something…. different than your usual family drama.  Nothing illegal, but I mean it when I say I got in a lot of trouble for trying to tell you my secret.  If your parents had found out, things would have gone very bad for me."

"Are you ever going to tell me what that family drama is?" Koushi asked.

"I would like to," Daichi said, "if you're willing to get to know me again."

Koushi raised an eyebrow.  "What do you mean?"

"I want to get to know you again," Daichi said.  "And I'd like for you to get to know me again.  This time without the two week time constraint, and with the two of us as adults.  I won't lie, I thought about you a lot in these past twenty years, and I'd like to replace the romanticized version of you that I have in my head with the real deal."

Koushi couldn't stop the blush from spreading across his face.  He grabbed his drink and chugged, pointedly ignoring Daichi's quiet chuckle across the table.  He set his drink back down after draining the glass, then eyed Daichi.  Daichi smiled in return.

"And you'll tell me everything?" Koushi asked.

"In due time," Daichi said.

"Then let's try this again," Koushi said, holding his hand out to Daichi.  "My name is Sugawara Koushi.  My friends call me Suga, but you can call me Koushi."

Daichi grasped Koushi's hand, giving it a gentle shake, "Hello Sugawara Koushi, my name is Sawamura Daichi.  My friends call me Daichi."

Koushi released Daichi's hand, and for the first time all day, felt at ease with the man in front of him.

"Pleasure to meet you, Daichi."

***

That night, Koushi dreamt again:

_The silver light of the moon bathed the beach in an unearthly glow as Koushi kicked off his sandals and stepped onto the sand.  The coarse grains scratched the soles of his feet lightly as he stepped forward, one foot in front of the other in a slow, deliberate march.  Daichi stood at the edge of the water, staring up at the moon.  Koushi walked towards Daichi, stopping a few feet away from him._

_"You brought it back to me," Daichi said, turning to face Koushi._

_"Of course I did," Koushi said, resuming his approach, "why wouldn't I?"_

_"My mother always told me that if someone took it from me, they'd never give it back."_

_"What do you mean?" Koushi asked, coming to a halt inches from Daichi._

_Daichi smiled, holding his hand out to Koushi.  Koushi took it and the pair stepped into the water._

_"Let me show you," Daichi whispered before pulling Koushi under._

_The world went dark around Koushi, but he didn't panic.  The weight of Daichi's hand in his own anchored him.  As they drifted together in the void, Koushi felt calmness wash over him that he had never felt before.  He was at peace._


	3. Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koushi and Daichi grow closer. Koushi rediscovers something from the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks, Happy New Year! I know I'm a week late, whatever. Here is Slow Dancing in the Darkness chapter 3! I want to thank everyone for the support during DaiSuga week and I hope you all enjoy chapter 3! There has been a rating increase to M for suggestive talk and implied sexual content. I don't plan on making it explicit in future chapters, but there will be other mentions of sexual content later on. Enjoy!

It was, in Koushi's mind, almost too easy to pick up where they had left off twenty years ago.  In a way, it felt like that time hadn't passed at all.  Koushi wondered if he should have been more concerned at how easy it was to be Daichi's friend, but something else pushed those worries from Koushi's mind.  It felt like things had finally fallen into place, and for the first time in twenty years, Koushi felt truly at peace.

They fell into a routine after that first night.  Daichi had walked Koushi back to the beach house.  Their knuckles had brushed together a few times and Koushi had almost taken Daichi's hand in his, but he'd restrained himself.  They'd hugged just outside the door; a hug from Daichi felt like being wrapped in a weighted blanket, and he smelled vaguely of salt water and sand, and if Koushi had filed that information away for later use, Daichi needn't know.  When they had separated, Daichi had given Koushi his phone number and his word that that he would show Koushi around town the next time they both had a free day.  Koushi had texted Daichi that night before falling asleep and dreaming of falling into the ocean with him, some small part of his mind still not believing that he had been reunited with Daichi, that he would wake the next morning to find that the events from the previous day had been his overactive imagination playing tricks on him.  To his immense relief, he had awoken the next morning to a reply from Daichi. 

This set the precedent for their communication.  Koushi would text Daichi each night before falling asleep, and Daichi would text him first thing in the morning.  They'd swap the occasional work selfie if they were positive they wouldn’t be caught, and they'd relay the events of their day to one another if they weren't meeting for food after work.  It was through texts that Koushi relearned the small details of Daichi's life.  Daichi was six months younger than Koushi, born in December whereas Koushi was a June baby.  Daichi liked his food on the milder side, and he had an inexplicable distaste for basketball.  He hadn't been born in the seaside town, but he had lived there for a significant portion of his life before the night he vanished.  He had come back because it had felt right to, and he pictured himself living there for the rest of his life, mostly because of its proximity to the ocean.  He had played volleyball a bit in high school, but not enough to be competitive with it.  He still played pickup games every so often and promised to bring Koushi along sometime.  Despite his now frequent visits to the library, he wasn't much of a reader, but he did enjoy a small handful of science fiction novels.

Thursday night ramen also became a part of their routine.  After Koushi ended his shifts at the library, Daichi would be waiting for him outside.  They'd walk to the restaurant together and they always sat at the same table—the one in the back corner near the windows—which always seemed to be open for them.  Daichi knew the owners, the Tanaka siblings, from when he was younger, and Koushi couldn't help but wonder if that had any influence over the availability of "their" table.  If it did, Daichi certainly didn't confirm it.  Tanaka Ryuunosuke, younger brother and head chef, took an immediate liking to Koushi and his taste in spicy food.  He delighted in trying to out-spice Koushi, but he hadn't managed to make a ramen too spicy for Koushi yet.  Tanaka Saeko, older sister and bartender, was engaged to Koushi's coworker, Tsukishima Akiteru, and vowed to visit more often if the two of them were there together.  Koushi had his doubts that she would help with productivity around the library, but he appreciated the offer of friendship nonetheless.

After dinner, Daichi would take Koushi on a tour around some new part of town.  Koushi remembered the boardwalk area for the most part, but being an adult, he appreciated that he could now see more of the town without parental supervision.  Still, the town itself was fairly small compared to the city Koushi had grown up in and could be walked end to end in a day, so Daichi made the effort to take Koushi to a new hole in the wall each time they went out and about.  To really show Koushi the best parts of the town, Daichi had explained.  After each tour, Daichi would walk Koushi back to his place, give him a hug, and then leave.  Koushi would never tell the Tanakas, but the tours were his favorite parts of Thursday night ramen.

About two weeks after Koushi arrived in town, Daichi made the effort to introduce Koushi to his coworkers.  One Thursday after their usual ramen night, Daichi had brought Koushi to the Little Kaiju, a bar overlooking the south end of the beach that was a favorite of the local fishermen like Daichi.  Daichi worked on a five person boat owned by a man named Ukai Keishin, who had inherited the boat from his grandfather.  Daichi's coworkers were all around Daichi's age, and like Koushi, had moved to the area within the last five years.  Bokuto Koutarou and Kuroo Tetsurou were high school friends from rival schools in Tokyo, and Azumane Asahi—Asahi, he had insisted on being called—was from Miyagi, like Koushi.  The trio was friendly, and they took pleasure in teasing Daichi on Koushi's behalf.  Well, Kuroo and Bokuto did. Asahi was more polite than that, and was more often than not on the receiving end of Daichi's teasing.  Koushi had been weary of intruding on their friendship at first, but after a few drinks, he had more than acclimated into the friend group.

Bokuto, like Daichi, wasn't much of a reader, but Asahi and Kuroo were.  In fact, Asahi had been the one to send Daichi to the library in search of _The Traveling Cat Chronicles_ in the first place.

"I read the synopsis online and thought it would be good," Asahi explained one night over drinks. "I didn't expect it would make me cry like that."

 Daichi muttered a teasing comment into his drink, but Koushi missed it due to Kuroo slamming his hands on the table and insisting louder than necessary, "I told you it was going to make you sad!  Have you ever read an animal book and not cried at the end?  It's impossible!"

Koushi had refrained from commenting that there were a number of animal books that hadn't made him cry at the end, choosing instead to watch Daichi chuckle into his beer at this newly developed debate.

As the weeks went on, Koushi got to know the rest of the library staff as well.  In addition to Akiteru—who worked as the public relations specialist—there was Shimizu Kiyoko, the circulation desk manager, Michimiya Yui in acquisitions and cataloging, and Ennoshita Chikara, the media and computer support specialist.  There were a handful of other employees, mostly part-time college and high school students that worked shelving and circulation in the afternoons, but Koushi didn't have much interaction with them once Takeda-san set up Koushi has the children's librarian.  On Fridays, the older members of the library staff would go out for drinks.  If Daichi was out with the crew and Koushi wasn't too exhausted from the day's work, Koushi would join them.  Drinks with the library staff was significantly mellower than drinks with Daichi's coworkers, but Koushi found that it brought balance to his life to have both.

Still, Koushi's favorite nights were the nights when it was just him and Daichi.  He coveted their twilight strolls like a magpie hoarding its treasure.  Those moments of walking side by side, knuckles grazing as the indigo light of night enveloped them were Koushi's favorites.  The way Daichi looked so serene as he stepped into the moonlit waters of the ocean made Koushi wish he had even an iota of artistic talent; he wanted to capture and cherish those moments forever.  Even when Daichi would catch him staring and chase him into the water seconds later.  This was where he should be.

***

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner at my place sometime."

Koushi looked up from his beer, surprised.  It had been a month and a half since Koushi had first moved to town.  It dawned on him then that in all that time; he had yet to see the inside of Daichi's house.  Or even where Daichi lived.  Daichi had always walked Koushi home first whenever they were out together.

"You mean I finally get to see your secret lair?" Koushi asked.  "What's the occasion?"

"Ha ha, you're hilarious," Daichi deadpanned.  "But seriously, do you want to come over?  I'll cook for you."

"Well with an offer like that, how can I refuse?" Koushi teased, grinning as he returned to his drink.  "When should I come over?"

"Are you free tomorrow?  I know it's your birthday, so I didn't know if you had plans or anything."

Koushi blinked; he hadn't even realized that his birthday had been upcoming.

"I can be, I have tomorrow off."

"You sure?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss seeing your bachelor pad for the world," Koushi insisted.  "Should I bring anything?"

"Just yourself," Daichi said.  "I'll take care of the rest."

Koushi wasn't sure what inspired him to do so, but he set his beer down and reached across the table to grab Daichi's hand.  He ran his thumb over the back of Daichi's hand and relished at the light shade of pink Daichi's face turned.

"It's a date."

***

_The dream always started the same way.  Walking down to the beach under the light of the full moon, the hushed conversation at the edge of the water with the stars winking in the background.  The repeated words from two decades ago as clear as they had been at the time.  The promise of more.  The plunge into the void.  Tonight was no exception._

_The darkness of the ocean surrounded Koushi, blinding him as Daichi pulled him under, but Koushi couldn’t find it in him to panic.  His trust in Daichi was complete; Daichi would never do anything to hurt him.  Not in the way that Koushi implicitly knew he could hurt Daichi, despite not knowing why it was implicit.  So he let Daichi drag him further into the void._

_Koushi didn't know how long they had been drifting in darkness—time had no meaning under the water—but he was abruptly pulled back to himself at the warmth of strong arms wrapping themselves around his waist and shoulders.  Koushi jolted, but the arms only tightened, one strong hand tangling itself in his hair.  A pair of warm lips pressed against Koushi's, and the urge to breathe deep overwhelmed him.  Koushi resisted for a moment, then the same sense of peace compelled him—breathe, and breathe deeply.  Koushi opened his mouth just a fraction against Daichi's lips and breathed.  Instead of the sharp rush of salt water, Koushi felt air._

_"Open your eyes," Daichi whispered against his lips._

_Koushi opened his eyes, and saw light._

***

Koushi inhaled, held the breath for a three count, and then exhaled.  He repeated the process twice, three times, adjusted the wine bottle in his arms in order to smooth out the front of his pale blue button up shirt, and then inhaled again.  He was standing in front of Daichi's house, gathering the courage to walk up to the front door and knock.  Which was ridiculous.  He was a twenty seven year old man, why was he this nervous to have a birthday dinner at a friend's house?

 _'A friend who you've had complicated feelings for all your life and just barely came back into your life looking like he was sculpted from clay by the gods themselves_ ,' the unhelpful voice in the back of Koushi's head supplied.

Daichi's house was similar to a lot of other houses in the area—a simple beach house with all the weathering associated with living by the ocean.  The front steps were in better condition than Koushi's were, and a lone wind chime hung from one of the ceiling beams of the porch.  The plain brown door beckoned to Koushi, inviting him inside.  Koushi took one last deep breath, and then walked up to the door.  He knocked once, adjusting the wine bottle in his grip while he waited. 

It took Daichi more than five seconds to open the door.  Koushi began to panic.

 _'Oh god, is this outfit enough?  I don't think he's seen me in these jeans before, but this is pretty much the same kind of button up I wear to work all the time, he's seen me in this before.  Should I have brought the wine?  He told me not to bring anything, but I thought it'd be rude if I didn't.  Did he even really want me to come over today?  How does my hair look?_ '

Then the door swung open, and the only thought left in Koushi's mind was a quiet, but repetitious, _'Holy shit._ '

If the blinding smile from Daichi wasn't enough to do Koushi in, the fact that Daichi was in a pair of tight jeans certainly was.  That combined with the plain white T-shirt and the plain black apron had Koushi wondering what exactly his next reincarnation could possibly be because he was officially living his best possible life.

"Hi," Daichi said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hi," Koushi squeaked in reply.

They stared at each other for a few seconds more, Daichi not saying anything, Koushi incapable of saying anything.  Finally, Koushi thrust the bottle of wine into Daichi's face.  Daichi let out a low chuckle and, mercifully, stepped aside to let Koushi inside the house, taking the offered wine bottle.  Koushi mentally shook himself out of his stupor and crossed the threshold with a quiet "pardon me".

"Those new jeans?" Daichi asked as Koushi toed off his shoes.

"I could ask the same thing of you, Mister Work Pants and Shorts Only," Koushi replied.  "Since when do you own jeans?"

"Since always?"

"Oh," Koushi said, trying hard not to stare at Daichi's butt as the other man walked into the kitchen.  "They look good on you."

"Thank you," Daichi called.  "And thank you for bringing wine.  You didn't have to, you know."

"I know, but I thought it'd be rude if I didn't," Koushi said, following Daichi into the kitchen.  "I figured that even if we didn't drink it tonight, we could save it for another night."

"You think there's going to be another night?" Daichi teased, turning from the stove to flash Koushi a cheeky grin.

"That depends," Koushi said as he took a seat at Daichi's table.

"On what?"

"Whether or not you give me feed poisoning."

Daichi let out a snort and turned back to the stove, "I'm not that bad of a cook, Sugawara.  Besides, I wouldn't give you food poisoning on your birthday."

"Intentionally," Koushi pointed out.

"Intentionally," Daichi agreed.

Koushi watched Daichi cook for a few minutes in silence.  It was oddly domestic, and much like a lot of other things Koushi had come to find about the town, oddly right for them.  Like he could watch Daichi cook for the rest of his life and be at peace.  Koushi shook the thought from his head; he didn't need to fantasize about Daichi like that, not right now.

"Anything I can do to help?" Koushi asked.

"I'm almost done actually," Daichi said, "but if you want, could you set the table please?"

Koushi got to his feet and gathered the plates and utensils Daichi must have set aside earlier.  He arranged them on the table, then turned back to Daichi and asked, "Want me to pour drinks too?"

"Sure, glasses are in the far cabinet and I have a red wine ready to go."

Koushi grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinet, the wine bottle and a corkscrew off of the counter and brought them over to the table.  As he finished pouring, Daichi brought over the food and set it down—spicy tofu, Koushi's favorite.  They took their seats and as they began to eat, the little voice in the back of Koushi's mind repeated its earlier thought:

 _'Right where you should be._ '

***

After dinner, Koushi insisted on helping Daichi with the dishes.  Daichi protested for a minute, but once he saw that Koushi was determined to hold onto the sponge, they settled into cleaning and drying the dishes together.  Afterwards, they took the second bottle of wine out to the back porch.  Daichi's home mostly overlooked the ocean, but if they sat at the northern end, they could see the lights of the rest of the town spring to life as the sun dipped below the horizon.  Daichi and Koushi sat down to watch the sky turn from orange to red to indigo, their shoulders pressed together as they sipped their wine.  The combination of the cool, early summer breeze and his proximity to Daichi sent shivers down Koushi's spine.  A blush spread across his face as Daichi took notice.

"You cold?" Daichi asked.

"Just a bit," Koushi said, keeping his eyes locked on the horizon.

"Here, let me help."

That was all the warning Koushi got before Daichi wrapped his arm around Koushi's shoulders and pulled him closer.  Koushi followed the movement, resting his head against Daichi's shoulder.  He clutched his wine glass to his chest, grasping it like a lifeline as his face grew steadily redder.  If Daichi noticed, he kept it to himself.

"Daichi?" Koushi asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

Koushi paused, knowing that he was standing at a metaphorical fork in the road.  Everything about this evening so far screamed, "Daichi is making a move, dipshit".  Koushi was clearly attracted to Daichi; Daichi apparently had interest in him.  He could kiss Daichi now and kick start the very thing Koushi had been dreaming of—in a sense—for a month and a half.  But maybe he had misread the situation in its entirety and this was nothing more than a platonic cuddle fest, in which case, asking Daichi if they were going to make out would be a terrible, terrible decision with potentially bad consequences.

"Koushi?" Daichi asked, breaking through the maelstrom of Koushi's thoughts.

 _'Now or never, coward._ '

"Are you going to kiss me, or what?"

 _'Not like that._ '

Koushi could feel Daichi freeze up around him as he spluttered out, "What?"

 _'Fix it._ '

"You heard me."

' _Also not like that._ '

To Koushi's immense surprise, Daichi began to laugh.

"Was I being that obvious?" Daichi asked, amused.

Koushi blinked in surprise; this was going better than he thought it would.  Koushi pushed himself upright, pulling away from Daichi and immediately regretting it.  Daichi set down his own wine glass and turned to look at Koushi.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Koushi asked.

"Very much so," Daichi replied.  "I've wanted to for a while now."

 _'A while?_ ' Koushi thought.  _'A WHILE?!_   _I could have been making out with Daichi for a while now?  What the fuck!?_ '

All Koushi could manage was a barely croaked, "Why?"

Daichi stared at Koushi, the disbelief making his nose scrunch in a way that was way too cute for Koushi to cope with at that moment.  Koushi grabbed his glass of wine and drained it instead.  Daichi reached a hand out and took the glass from Koushi, placing it and the wine bottle on his other side so Koushi wouldn't have a chance to go for a refill.  He picked up his own glass, took a swig and set it next to Koushi's.  He turned back to Koushi and gently took one of Koushi's hands in his own.

"Koushi, I have thought about it a lot for a long time now," Daichi insisted.  "Like I said at the restaurant, I've had you on my mind for years now.  I could have kissed you that first day, but I was serious about tearing down the idealized version of you I've been holding onto for years.  But to my immense surprise and happiness, you were even better than the person I thought you'd be.  You're funny, you're intelligent, you're kind, you're an asshole, but you're the kind of asshole I want in my life.  You mean the world to me, and I mean that.  Also, have you looked in a mirror in the last I don’t know how long?  You're stunning."

Koushi wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the 'asshole' comment, but he got where Daichi was coming from.  Koushi gave Daichi's hand a squeeze, inhaled, then looked Daichi square in the eye.  His resolve melted partially under the look Daichi was giving him.  He really could get lost in the deep brown of Daichi's eyes.  The heat was steadily climbing his face, his heart pounding hard enough that his chest hurt.  Koushi thought he had already fallen for Daichi, but now he was in a free fall.

"How come you haven't kissed me yet, then?" Koushi teased out of self preservation.   

Daichi dropped Koushi's hand with a snort, "You know, initiating a make out is a two way street, Sugawara."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Koushi asked.

Daichi reached his hand out and cupped Koushi's cheek, brushing his thumb across the mole under Koushi's left eye.  Koushi couldn't have stopped his breath from hitching if he had tried.  Daichi leaned closer, crowding into Koushi's personal space.  He tilted his head, bringing his lips centimeters from Koushi's.

"Meaning, you could kiss me first," Daichi murmured.

It was all the invitation Koushi needed.  He brought his hands up to rest in Daichi's hair and pulled.  Daichi complied, pressing their lips together.  It only lasted for a few seconds, slightly more than a peck on the lips, but nothing as deep or searing as the first kisses described in the romance novels the older patrons at the library liked to read.  It was simple, yet when Daichi pulled back from Koushi, Koushi found himself whimpering at the loss of contact, longing for more.

"Before we get too into this, would you like to spend the night?" Daichi asked, finally as red in the face as Koushi had been.

"That's awfully forward of you," Koushi teased.

Daichi pressed another gentle kiss to Koushi's lips, then whispered, "Is that a no?"

"Of course it's not a no," Koushi said.  "But if you don't kiss me like you mean it, it might be."

Daichi pulled Koushi in for a third kiss, this one the deep and searing type that made romance heroines weak in the knees.  Koushi couldn't blame them; if he hadn't been sitting he might have needed to lean on Daichi for support.  Daichi wound an arm around Koushi's waist, pulling him in closer.  Koushi responded in kind by dragging his nails along Daichi's shoulders, earning a low growl of approval.

"Should we move this somewhere more comfortable?" Koushi asked against Daichi's lips.

"Thought you'd never ask," Daichi replied.

Daichi pulled back in order to stand, then helped Koushi to his feet.  They held it together long enough to get the wine and glasses inside to the kitchen counter and to close the back door before they were right back to it.  Koushi let out a groan as Daichi pressed him against the kitchen wall, his hands gripping tight to Koushi's waist.  Koushi gripped Daichi's hair in one hand, pulling Daichi's head to the side in order to press kisses against the column of Daichi's throat.  Daichi bucked against him, panting as Koushi kissed his way up to Daichi's ear.

"Like that?"

"Yes, keep doing that."

"Take me somewhere more comfortable first," Koushi said, pressing a kiss to the corner of Daichi's mouth.

"You're bossy," Daichi said.

"You like it."

Daichi gave Koushi no warning as he lifted Koushi off the ground.  Koushi let go of Daichi's hair with an undignified squawk, wrapping his arms around Daichi's neck and his legs around Daichi's waist as he was carried out of the kitchen.

"A little warning next time, Dai," Koushi snapped.

Daichi chuckled as he whispered in Koushi's ear, "Call me that again, and I'll more than make it up to you."

Koushi liked the sound of that.

Daichi carried Koushi into his bedroom.  Once inside, he set Koushi down and began unbuttoning Koushi's over shirt.  He pushed the shirt off of Koushi's shoulders, then walked Koushi backwards towards the bed.  Koushi collapsed back onto it, backing up against the pillows as Daichi pulled his shirt and belt off.

Daichi was paler under his shirt, the result of wearing protective gear while out on the boat.  He was, Koushi noted appreciatively, ripped.

Koushi whistled appreciatively, "Now that's a view."

Daichi rolled his eyes, dropping his clothing next to Koushi's shirt before joining Koushi.  He pressed a kiss to Koushi's throat, running his hands up Koushi's sides.  Koushi grasped Daichi's shoulders as Daichi bit down on his neck.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Daichi murmured against his skin.

"Wanna help me with that?" Koushi offered.

Daichi hummed, pushing Koushi's shirt up and off before returning to Koushi's neck.  Koushi cupped Daichi's face, pulling him back up to press their lips together.  Daichi fumbled with Koushi's belt buckle, breaking the kiss for a few moments to unbuckle it and slide it from the belt loops.  The belt joined the growing pile of clothing on the floor.  Daichi ran a hand down Koushi's torso until he reached the button on Koushi's jeans.  He looked up at Koushi.

"May I?" Daichi asked.

"Yes," Koushi breathed.

Daichi kissed Koushi as he undid the button and slipped a hand into Koushi's pants.  Koushi moaned as Daichi cupped him, his fingers digging into Daichi's shoulders as he bucked his hips.  Daichi pulled away in order to tug Koushi's jeans off, then took off his own.  He settled over Koushi, pressing a thigh in between Koushi's legs as they kissed.

"Hey," Koushi whispered against Daichi's lips.

Daichi pulled back, resting his forehead against Koushi's.  "Yeah?"

"I love you" is what Koushi wanted to say.  Instead, he whispered, "Thank you, this is the best birthday I've had in a while."

Daichi smiled.  He kissed Koushi with all the tenderness he could and whispered, "You're welcome."

***

Sunlight streamed through the window, landing on Koushi's face and pulling him from sleep.  He instinctively rolled away from the light, coming in contact with something warm, and incredibly solid.  Confused, Koushi cracked open one eye and found the broad, naked back of one Sawamura Daichi.  Koushi opened the other eye, sitting up as the covers fell from his own naked shoulders.  And then it all came back to him.

The previous night had been…. well, to say incredible felt like an understatement.  Koushi wasn't sure if there were words to describe how the previous night had gone.  All Koushi knew was that he felt like this was where Koushi wanted to be every morning from here on out.  He knew he had been repeating the same thing for a month and a half, but this was where he was supposed to be.

"You look deep in thought," Daichi said, pulling Koushi from his musings.

Koushi gazed down at Daichi.  Daichi had rolled over to face Koushi.  His eyes were partially open, and his already untidy black hair stood up in more directions than Koushi would have thought possible.  A smattering of bruises littered the sides of Daichi's neck, and Koushi was positive he'd have matching ones when he checked the mirror later.  Koushi traced one of the bruises and watched as Daichi leaned into the touch.

"And a good morning to you too," Koushi said, settling back down on the bed and pulling Daichi in close.

Daichi settled his head on Koushi's chest as he asked, "Sleep well?"

"Best night of sleep I've had in a while."

"Not too sore?"

"My ass is fine, thanks for asking," Koushi deadpanned.

Daichi chuckled, the sound reverberating through Koushi's chest.  They lapsed back into a comfortable silence as Koushi traced lazy circles on Daichi's back.

"So, should we save the 'What are we?' conversation for breakfast?" Daichi asked.

"If it's all the same to you," Koushi began, "I think we can skip it.  I know exactly what I want out of this, and if you think I'm gonna let you blow anyone else's back out but mine, you're nuts."

Daichi pushed himself up and kissed Koushi in a way that made his toes curl.  It only lasted a few seconds, however, as Daichi pulled back with a grin.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say, and I agree wholeheartedly," Daichi said.  He glanced at the clock on the bedside table before continuing, "Now, it's a little after 7.  I was hoping to make you breakfast, but do you have to go to work today?"

Koushi shook his head, "I took the day off."

Daichi raised an eyebrow.

"I was expecting a hangover, not mind blowing sex," Koushi explained with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Well in that case," Daichi said.  He got to his feet, grabbing his boxers from the floor and pulling them on.  "How do you like your eggs?"

Koushi grabbed a pillow and lobbed it at Daichi's head.  Daichi retreated from the room with a laugh, shouting something about making it a surprise.  Koushi shook his head, his heart welling with affection.  He stumbled out of bed and grabbed his own boxers.  He pulled them on, then made his way over to Daichi's closet in search of a hoodie to steal.  He pushed aside several shirts before finding a soft, gray hoodie.  As he pulled it on, something in the back of the closet caught his eye. 

Koushi pushed the clothing items aside to reveal a brown leather jacket.  A dark brown leather jacket with spots that smelled vaguely of salt water.  And…

"Flippers?" Koushi whispered as he touched the jacket.

Recognition slammed into Koushi like a wave; it was the same jacket from twenty years ago.  Why had Daichi kept it?  Koushi ran a hand over one of the flippers, and another memory came back to Koushi.

 _'My family is involved in something…. different than your usual family drama.  Nothing illegal, but I mean it when I say I got in a lot of trouble for trying to tell you my secret.  If your parents had found out, things would have gone very bad for me._ '

' _Let me show you._ '

Koushi pulled back from the jacket with a sharp inhale.  At the same time, Koushi heard the sound of Daichi's approaching footsteps.  Koushi pushed Daichi's clothes back into place, covering the jacket as Daichi stepped into the room.

"Breakfast is- Is that my hoodie?"

Koushi wiped the shock off his face and turned to look at Daichi with a mischievous grin.  "I should have told you sooner," Koushi said, "but I am a notorious hoodie thief."

Daichi shook his head, the look on his face oozing fondness.  "Well, Mister Hoodie Thief, breakfast is on the way.  Care to join me for coffee and kisses?"

Koushi crossed the room into Daichi's waiting arms, kissing him once before following Daichi into the kitchen.  He had research to do later, but for now, he could push the jacket and its implications from his mind.  He had already waited twenty years; he could wait for answers a bit longer.  


End file.
